18 February 2013

Beloved

"And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 
Jesus in Luke 22:19

"This is my body, given for you. BROKEN for YOU."

As these precious words reach my ears, they quickly sink deep into my heart, rush through my veins, and down into my bones. I take the bread and cup in one hand and my dearest in the other, and the tears start to come. It has always been all for Love.
I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine.

"You are restricted in your own affections. Open wide your hearts..."

I've been mourning and working over something that's already been paid for. All of the scorekeeping of wrongdoings, all of the self-righteous law-abiding, trapped by fear, bound by insecurity, and distracted by complacency.... Hungry and thirsty, I've been longing for something that's already been freely given.

When Jesus said, "It is finished", the new covenant was released and the old covenant became obsolete. Jesus defeated death with death and rose again, and now He says "All of the things you're carrying are no longer yours. I paid for it all. Get up and walk."

His body was broken for a broken people. Broken for the liar and the thief. Broken for the cheater and the addict. Broken for the rich and the poor. Broken for the ones who think they already have everything, and those who have nothing at all.

He stoops down low,
broken for you and me
and all of the messes we find ourselves in.

I am in awe of the world's greatest Giver, and His unrelenting pursuit of my heart. 

This Jesus, the One who was rejected by men, scorned and persecuted, became the Cornerstone of all creation- all for God's glory and our good. We clench our fists, clinging tightly to our safety nets and we forget our Saviour never clenched His- He lived in Love, even to the point of hanging on a tree with arms outstretched. He could've said no, but He chose to say Yes. He paid the highest price.  He is always enough and He sees us as enough. His heart is not moved by labor, but by Love.

And no one will ever be able to exhaust it. Love endures all things and hopes all things - it calls forth Truth in the inward being. It creates streams in the desert and makes a way through the wastelands of our lives. Love gives itself away in abundance with no agenda and yet it never runs dry. 

The more I live, the more I realise that my life is not my own. There is freedom in surrender- in the pouring out. There is life in the breaking of bread- in the laying down. The more I live, the more I want to leave this place of resistance and enter into His rest; wrapped up in the mystery of His unforced rhythms of grace. 

"Believe. Adhere. Trust." He says. "Yield to the still, small voice inside of you - the One that says you were made for Love and life in the Light."

I want to be so consumed by Love that 'Yes' is my only response to His call. 'Yes' when I'm overwhelmed and want to break down and 'Yes' even -especially - when I don't understand. A 'yes' that surpasses the spoken; living, moving, walking forth in truth- pouring out one's self in reckless abandon; following in the footsteps of a humble King who gave it all.

The Creator of the heavens and the earth calls forth the identity of His beloved with gentle persistence and fire in His eyes. He says "You are not a failure. You are not irredeemable. You are not bound by the lies spoken to you or the mistakes you've made or the dreams that leave you shaken. You are free. I am calling you by name. Rise. You are mine." 

Rain falls and nourishes the earth and the wind swirls through the streets and the Lord always has a way of bringing us to our knees and I am reminded that it is in and through the water and the fire that we become more aware of His presence, and that He never leaves. 

I look over and see my dearest looking back at me- I see Jesus in his gentle gaze and in the smile on his face. Our cry is that our hearts would be more like His, and that our lives would be spent broken like bread, poured out like wine, and laid down for Love's sake.


From glory to glory - every breath is His mercy, every moment is a melody being woven together in a bigger Story.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Dear Jobin and Francine,
I have been challenged to read these blogs and learn more of the lives you have chosen to live.
God bless you both as you continue to minister to these little hearts...
Prayers and Blessings
Janet ( jobins childhood friend)

to the ends of the earth, and of myself

I used to shy away from suffering. My tight grip on control kept me bound in my comfort zone and pride had me blinded from the beauty ...